NBA Draft 2021: See The Best Options For The Pistons

DETROIT — With the 2021 NBA Draft set for Thursday night, the Detroit Pistons have an opportunity to better their chances for a future championship. That’s not an empty hope, as current NBA stars range from players picked No. 1 overall to those selected near the end of the second round.

Barring a trade, the Pistons will have the No. 1 pick in Thursday night’s draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The team is also slated to pick at No. 37, No. 42 and No. 52.

The Pistons’ biggest need heading into the draft is a franchise centerpiece, according to an NBA Draft preview and analysis from Bleacher Report. Here's what the outlet said about the Pistons ahead of Thursday's draft:

"Since pivoting into a top-to-bottom rebuild, the Pistons have coaxed a near-All-Star campaign out of Jerami Grant and collected a number of intriguing young prospects. But this team lacks an elite-level centerpiece, which is why its fans should be thanking the basketball gods for showering it with good fortune at the draft lottery."

The Pistons have the No. 1 pick in the draft after winning the draft lottery, which is held yearly among the teams that did not qualify for the previous season’s playoffs. The Pistons are widely expected to take Cade Cunningham, a guard from Oklahoma State University, with the pick.

Jalen Green, a shooting guard from League Unite, is who Sports Illustrated projects the Houston Rockets will select. Evan Mobley, a forward/center from the University of Southern California, is slated to go No. 3 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in their mock draft.

In all, NBA.com lists 86 prospects who could be taken with one of the 60 picks in the first and second rounds of the draft. Both rounds are set to be completed Thursday night.

ABC and ESPN will air the first round of the draft beginning at 8 p.m. ET Thursday. The second round can be watched on ESPN.